The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of immediate versus deferred indinavir (IDV) in addition to background therapy on disease progression or death in patients with CD4+ cell counts between 200 and 500 cells/mm3 and plasma HIV RNA levels >= 10,000 copies/ml.

This study aims to examine two management strategies, immediate versus deferred IDV therapy, for their clinical effects in the context of background antiretroviral (AR) therapy, given according to current clinical practice. There is an urgent need to identify the optimal use of IDV in patient management, since clinical endpoint studies have not been completed in the United States. Since there is little information about the long term durability of clinical effects, and even less information about the timing of the initiation of protease inhibitor therapy, exploring the disease progression and survival impact of immediate versus delayed use of IDV will yield important information to guide clinical decision making for this group of patients.

Further study details as provided by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID):

Estimated Enrollment:

1900

Study Completion Date:

March 1997

Detailed Description:

This study aims to examine two management strategies, immediate versus deferred IDV therapy, for their clinical effects in the context of background antiretroviral (AR) therapy, given according to current clinical practice. There is an urgent need to identify the optimal use of IDV in patient management, since clinical endpoint studies have not been completed in the United States. Since there is little information about the long term durability of clinical effects, and even less information about the timing of the initiation of protease inhibitor therapy, exploring the disease progression and survival impact of immediate versus delayed use of IDV will yield important information to guide clinical decision making for this group of patients.

Prior to randomization the patient and clinician will determine whether the background therapy will be zidovudine (ZDV) plus lamivudine (3TC) or other background antiretroviral therapy (OBAT). Patients will then be randomized to IDV or matching placebo. AS PER AMENDMENT 06/27/97: The protocol was closed as of 03/25/97, and all patients have been unblinded to their assigned treatment. Patients still on study medication are eligible for the protocol extension. Patients who were randomized to immediate IDV may continue on therapy for up to an additional 4 months. All study therapy, both for those on immediate or delayed therapy, must be discontinued on 10/24/97.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

16 Years and older

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

Concurrent Medication:

Allowed:

Topical and/or antifungal agents, except ketoconazole.

Treatment, maintenance, or chemoprophylaxis with approved agents for OIs will be given as clinically indicated.

Clinically indicated antibiotics, unless excluded.

Systemic corticosteroid use for <21 days for acute problems is permitted as clinically indicated. However, chronic systemic corticosteroid use should be avoided.

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To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00000861